St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-23

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she was dying. She had but one feel
ing, one thought-the man was about
to strike her. Oh the degradation of
it, worse even than his words of insult.
But she did not faint. Just as every
thing whirled dizzily around her, just
as she was losing consciousness, the
quick thud of horse was heard gall
Looping over the stubble, and stern
voice addressed Jupp.
"What are you saying to this girl n
it cried, angrily. "Not telling her to
go away How dare youf Didn't you
know that my uncle always allowed
this-ay, and the Wheatlands from
time inmemorial We have never
ground the faces of the poor. | saw
you raise your whip threateningly, if L
am not mistaken. BY JOve, if you
were not an older man than myself,
I'd thrash you within an inch of your
life ~
All of a sudden the angry voice
ceased, and the speaker, turning to
Edith, addressed her in tones as soft as
wOman's.
"My poor child" it said, "don't mind
Jupp-I am master here. Take up
your sickle and cut as much wheat"
He stopped suddenly. Edith, up to
this point, had stood with bowed fig
ure, half unconscious, her gaze bent in
shame on the ground; but touched by
these kind words, and even more by
the tone, she lifted her eyes, full of
tears, and gazed at the speaker.
In that look there was something
that both thrilled and abashed the be-
holder. Young Wheatlands, for such
was the horseman, was one of the hand
soonest men of his day; and he was
accustomed to admiration; but Edith's
glance seemed to say, ''surely you are
more than human: you are some
knight of chivalry come to rescue me
from foul enchanter."
1t was this that thrilled him with q
strange, wild feeling of happiness, such
as no wOman's glance had ever before
awakened. But on the other hand, in
stead of finding himself in the pres
ence of a village rustic, as he had ex
pected, and as the dress led him till
this very moment to believe, he be-
held, to his amazement, face not only
of rare beauty, but one instinct with
that inherited as well as acquired re-
finement, which, for want, of "a better
word, is called high-bred. This, he
saw at once, was no mere village girl,
but a young princess in disguise. And
he had offered such a one aims ! He
had spoken to her as if she was me-
NAL His usual ease of manner failed
him. He sat there dumb, as if him
self the culprit.
Edith broke the spell.
"Oh, sir !" she cried with a sob,
clasping her hands and looking up at
him imploringly, 81 meant no harm.
used to see other people do what l
did. And-and were starving
mother and /"
Young Mr.. Wheatlands turned aside
for moment to brush away tear.
Looking up, he saw Jupp's gaze fas-
tened on him, and there was sneer
on the lawyers face.
The young man colOred angrily.
"Ride on, if you please, sir" he said
sternly to the lawyer. 81 wish to say
something to this young lady alone"
The lawyer obeyed, feeling, perhaps,
that he had gone to far, and wishing
he had never seen Edith.
Then young Mr.. Wheatlands, lifting
his hat to Edith, as if she had been a
princess, said, 81 beg a thousand par
dons | shall settle with Jupp to day,
and discharge him. Believe me, l
would not, for worlds, that this had
happened"
doh, sir, don't on my account, quar-
rel with him." cried tender-hearted
Edith. ale was only doing what he
thought his duty. Besides-besides ="
"Besides what!" kindly.
Besides, he holds the mortgage on
our cottage, and it might make him
harder on us than ever"
mortgage on your cottage! Is it,"
he said, as if a certain light had brOk
en- on him, "the little house down in
the meadow 2"
A mute nod of assent was the reply.
"Then am talking to Miss Miller.
You dOn't-you don't mean to say that
the rascal has been threatening you
about that 2"
''He is to sell the place next month"
answered Edith, looking down, and
feeling, oh, how Inundated!
Something very like an execratiOn
half broke from Mr.. Wheatlands' lips.
1t might, perhaps have been one but
for the presence of Edith.
He stopped from his saddle and of
fered her his hand.
"GoOd bye for the present, Miss
Miller" he said. "But tell your moth
er she need not worry about the mort
gage. |, not Jupp, can alone dispose
of it. | used to know your father
when l was a boy, and down here
and | shall ever respect any one who
bears his namew
With this he lifted his hat again,
his horse, and spurred after
the discounted lawyer.
The whole village was in a stir the
next day with the news that young
the heir to the Wheat
lands estates, had returned from En-
rope, where he had been at his uncle's
death had come down to ShepertOn
the evening but one before; had quar-
relied with his discharged lawyer, Jupp,
and had given out that he intended to
reside at Wheatlands Hall, on the
home farm, thencefOr til, and to look
after his affairs. But we
anticipate.
How Edith got home from the har-
vest-fel she never afterwards could
tell. All she remembered was that she
had rushed into the house, and flung
herself on her knees by the side of the
bed, and had sObbed out wildly, ooh,
motherl mother dear, the cottage isn't
going to be sold. l have his word for
ltin
1t had been nearly an hour after
that before she could rally her dazed
faculties sufficiently to give her mother
a coherent narrative of what had
She had scarcely finished
" hen there was a knock at the door,
and boy from the stOrekeeper brought
several parcels, containing tea, sugar,
coffee, biscuits, ham and various
other edibles.
"Master says as how he heard the